


Ori's Last Words

by jordieey



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Dori (mentioned) - Freeform, Fear, Fear of Death, Fili (mentioned) - Freeform, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Kili (mentioned) - Freeform, Nori (mentioned) - Freeform, Ori Is A Sweetheart, Original Character Death(s), Sad Ending, Thorin Oakensheild (mentioned)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-01-08
Packaged: 2019-10-06 20:23:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17352002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jordieey/pseuds/jordieey
Summary: The events leading up to Ori's death in Moria.Takes place after The Hobbit, and before The Lord of the Rings.





	Ori's Last Words

Ori liked to think he was brave.

Sure, he wasn’t like Thorin, his brothers, Fili or Kili...or anyone in their former company, really. He used a slingshot as a weapon, copied history in his books, and generally tried to be polite.

“A writer, not a fighter,” as his brothers used to say. They were not exactly wrong about that––really, what dwarf used a slingshot as a weapon? None but him, as far as Ori knew.

Even still, Ori did think he was brave. At least a little bit. He’d had a part (however small) in reclaiming Erebor, fought trolls, rode eagles and fought in the Battle of the Five Armies.

But Ori had never been a fighter. Not really.

/They have taken the bridge and the second hall/ Ori wrote, glancing up fearfully at the sound of battle cries. Any moment now, the orcs would be upon them. Mahal save them all. 

He was crouched against dear old Balin’s tomb, writing frantically as the orcs searched for the. Dwarves, both male and female, fought throughout Moira, determined to defend their home. Even now, a dwarf by the name of Floki beckoned their comrades to retreat, waiting as long as he could before firmly shutting the doors. Ori fancied that the loud BANG! reverberated throughout the entire mountain. 

“Come one, Ori,” said Naryn, a dwarrowdam Ori had become close friends with during his time in Moira. She had been the one to comfort him after Balin’s death, holding him and stroking his hair, never once judging his tears. “Up you come. We must keep them out.” She grabbed his elbow, loosening Ori’s book from his hands as she did so.

Ori sumbled to his feet, allowing Naryn to remove his pen, which she set next to Balin’s tomb. “There will be plenty of time for writing later,” she said. Ori read the lie in her eyes.

If they had been in another situation, he might have been offended. His brothers had always tried to coddle him…

As Ori stumbled toward the doors, an axe in hand, he found himself desperately wishing that Nori and Dori were here. Even if they did coddle him, at least they would be together, as it should be. If he never saw them again––

Well, he supposed, it was better than having them die, too.

Ori’s breath caught, and he faltered briefly before continuing to barricade the door alongside his friends.

He didn’t want to die.  
But it looked as though he wasn’t being given a choice. 

Once the door was sufficiently barricaded, Ori stumbled back to Balin’s tomb, picking up his notebook and pen once more. Next to him sat his slingshot, looking so utterly childish given the circumstances. 

A large BANG! sounded once more. Ori could have sworn the entire mountain shook. He wiped the tears from his face, berating himself for his fear. 

Placing his pen against the paper, Ori wrote, /We have barred the gates/––the mountain shook again, shrieks sounding in the air––/but we cannot hold them for long./

BANG! BANG! BANG! The orcs chattered in grating, inhumane voices. Ori clutched his book, staring tearfully at the door. Naryn stood over him, axe hand, every line of her body coiled, prepared to fight.

Breathing shakily and ignoring the tears on his cheeks, Ori wrote on. /The ground shakes./

“Why do you care so much, Ori?” Naryn asked softly, bringing Ori’s attention to her. “Why are you writing, now of all times?” 

Somewhere nearby, drums were being struck, mingling with the voices of the orcs and their pointless banging. Ori saw Naryn’s back tense, and felt a surge of gratitude. Even now, she was looking out for him, despite not understanding his need to write.

Tugging nervously at his sleeve, Ori glanced toward the door, which even now was being forced open. He held back a sob.

“If we are to die here,” Ori said softly. “I do not want to become some corpse with no name and no history. Someone should know what happened here.”

Naryn looked back at him, her brown eyes soft with sorrow. “You’re smart, Ori,” she murmured.

“You’ve been a wonderful friend, Naryn,” Ori choked out, his throat suddenly thick.

Those would be the last words they ever said to each other. 

With a groan, the doors started open, causing Naryn to whip around, gripping her axe tightly. 

Ori, bowed his head. /Drums in the deep. We cannot get out./ He looked up briefly, and wished he hadn’t. Light from various torches filtered through the slowly widening crack, even as the dwarves tried to beat them back. Ori made a choked sound of fear, forcefully bringing his attention back to his book.

/A shadow moves in the dark./ Mahal, would no one come? 

/Will no––” BANG! Ori’s hand jerked, causing him to streak a line of ink across the page. /––one save us?/

At least he’d get to see the others again. Fili, Kili, Thorin...

That thought wasn’t a comforting as he had hoped. 

I love you, Nor, Dori, he thought as the first orc came through the doors…

****

Ori liked to think he was brave. 

But in that moment, all he felt was sheer terror.

/They are coming./

**Author's Note:**

> Look on the bright side, Ori definitely sees the Company in the afterlife.
> 
> Reviews, please?


End file.
